Archive for 07/01/2008 - 08/01/2008

I told you guys on Monday that when I got more info on Politics As Usual, I'd hit you with that info properly. Well, the homey Matt just sent over the cover and tracklist, and this album looks like it's going to be a MONSTER!

Tracklist:

1.) Its Time (Produced by Easy Mo Bee)2.) Watch How It Go Down (Produced by DJ Premier)3.) Respect My Walk (Produced by Buckwild)4.) Hood Shit f/ Prodigy of Mobb Deep (Produced by The Alchemist)5.) Float (Produced by Nottz)6.) Please Don't Go (Produced by Nottz)7.) How We Rock f/ Bun B of UGK (Produced by DJ Premier)8.) Drugs Crime & Gorillaz f/ Sheek Louch & Freeway (Produced by Nottz)9.) In The Streets f/Lil Fame of M.O.P. (produced by Hi-Tek)10.) So Amazing (Produced by DJ Premier)11.) Sorry I Lied (Produced by Large Professor)12.) We Killin Ourselves (Produced by Pete Rock)13.) The Chosen (Resurrecting The Game) (Produced by Havoc)

Seriously, with that batch of producers, this looks beyond ridiculous. I hate to call this an album of the year candidate before hearing it, but from top to bottom this just looks fly as hell. Word is a video for "How We Rock" is set to be dropping soon, too.

Sugar Tongue Slim "Demand More Freestyle #3": After peepin' the firsttwo freestyles STS has done, him and I ended up chatting a bit back and forth via e-mail, and I sent him a .rar with a batch of beats, both newer shit and some curveballs. I got an e-mail from him late Monday night with two freestyles in them. The official Demand More #3 freestyle is over Busta's amazing "Don't Touch Me" beat, causing STS to just go for broke on that throwback instrumental. Oh, and this marks the first time rock the dub has been namechecked in a freestyle! The second...

Bonus Beats: Sugar Tongue Slim "Next Levels Freestyle (RTD Exclusive)": ...is an exclusive to the site, and over something you might not expect. Fans of MF Doom's King Geedorah moniker should know this beat ("Next Levels", from the Take Me To Your Leader disc), and STS shines bright over that jazzy piano. I'm guessing this is the first of the "On Demand" freestyles STS is doing!? Shouts out to him, regardless!

Spec Boogie ft. Noñameko "By My Side" (prod. by Von Pea): Nothing I can say in writing will be able to properly explain what this track means to Spec, so I will just copy the blurb he sent me:

Today is the 13th anniversary of the passing of my mother so I wanted to leak a track I recorded last year dedicated to the memory of her and my father (who passed on in september 98) it may be a little personal for a blog blast but hey, I hold nothing back. I'll get back to talking that shit next week.

If that ain't real talk, I don't know what is. For those in the New York area, Spec, Che Grand, 8th W1 and Fresh Daily will be holding it down at the Gallery Bar on Orchard Street, L.E.S. NYC (here's the flyer). Loosie.

Elucid "24 Hour Heartbreaker": Flipping Adult.'s "Good Deeds", Elucid spits some fiery flames on those chicks who you love but don't share that feeling. Dude channels Elvis and Prince, all the while maintaining his unique voice over this skankin' electro-punk romp.

Sick. No need to get all deep in this, just know that this (DJ-less) mixtape features the original Ready To Die songs, complete in their unreleased, uncleared sample glory, just like how Biggie would've wanted you to hear it.

Bekay "Uncle Murdered" (Uncle Murda Diss): Wow, I had no idea Uncle Murda changed his name to BK... looks like "BK" has awoken the beast...

Uncle Murdered? In response to Uncle Murder’s name change to ‘BK’ that was announced on Hot 97 on Friday, July 18, the ‘real’ Bekay has some words for Uncle Murder as he battles to claim his moniker. “You’re a liar, the streets is sick of your bars/ Uncle Murder?, more like Aunty M from the Wizard of Oz” -Bekay delivers back to back punch lines over classic Alchemist production

Can't wait to hear Murda's response. Why would he change his name to "BK" anyways? He trying to get a new single put on Urban radio?

Shawn Hewitt "One On One": New, interesting Pop record from Shawn Hewitt, who represents Toronto, Canada. Dude has a nice, unique voice, and brings that raw emotion to his lyrics. Fans of cuts that truly tug at the heart strings should check this out. Shawn's Spare Hearts drops on Sept. 30th on EMI Canada.

Young Jeezy ft. Jay-Z "Put On (Remix)": Young Sav hit me with this last night (this morning?), but I didn't even check it until this morning. It's the dirty version, because you know I like my rhymes filthy. Nothing too stupendous about this, although I like Jay's effortless-ness. I finally checked that Jezzy interview in Vibe, and dude is talkin' that real shit. Being a father and all that, I feel for him. We'll see how The Recession plays out...

Jah-C ft. Baje One, Scott Thorough, MC K-Swift, Stimulus & Cavalier "Soul Banger (Remix)": I brought you guys the video for the original last month; here's the official remix of "Soul Banger", which will be on the forthcoming Soul Banger EP, due out on Coalmine Records.

The self-proclaimed hip-hop supergroup is comprised of Lateef the Truth Speaker (Quannum Projects), Headnodic (Crown City Rockers), and Gift of Gab (Blackalicious), and they will release their first album on Def Jux this October, entitled Droppin' Science Fiction. In addition to MF Doom, guests include DJ Shadow, Mr. Lif, and Damian "JR Gong" Marley, among others.

Termanology ft. Bun B "How We Rock" (prod. by DJ Premier): Tracks like these are the stuff of dreams for Hip-Hop heads on the 'Net. Termanology's Politics As Usual drops on September 30th via S.T Records/Nature Sounds, with production from Primo, Pete Rock, The Alchemist, Hi-Tek, Havoc, Nottz, Buckwild, Large Professor & Easy Mo Bee. More word on this when I get it!

How many stories like the death of "Scooter" Pikes, or the recent hospitalization of Mace Hutchinson, both involving excessive use of a taser, do we need to hear before we question the authorities? I can understand the use of a taser to subdue an unruly citizen, I get that, and prefer it over more lethal weaponry. My thing is, after two, maybe 3 shots with the taser (depending on height & weight), when does a cop just say "OK, let's try something else"? When does it step over the line of trying to get a situation under control and become police brutality?

9 times surely seems like it was over the limit, and that killed Pikes. 19 times is far too many, and luckily Hutchinson is alive, albeit suffering from a laundry list of ailments, including a serious fall that the tasering delayed.

If I went out and had a dispute with 5-0, and I felt threatened, legally had a taser on me and shot the cop with it, could I get off on a light rap? I highly doubt it. I seriously feel as its us against them. My thing is, my hood isn't nearly as bad as other spots in my area, and yet I get double looks from cops when I don't fit any kind of description. Shit like that makes a nigga feel like, while my taxes go to pay their checks, they could give fuck-all about me.

And then they wonder why people in the US can't trust them. Look at the timeless issues people in general (not just based on color/sexuality) have had against the authorities. And there are good cops out there, but it feels like the cats who are whupping upside your head or repeatedly electrocuting you are outnumbering the cats who help old ladies cross the street, walk the city beat and truly give a damn about our communities.

Hopefully we can see an end to these excessive forms of police brutality.

I had a busy weekend and din't think I'd get a chance to do this, then suddenly around 11PM Friday night, I got hit with some inspiration. I wonder why cats are doing remixes of M.I.A.'s "Paper Planes" NOW!? In any case, loads of freestyles that I dug dropped in the last few weeks, so I included my favorites, alongside from fresh flavors from the likes of the GZA, Spec Boogie, Elucid, Nov Ganon, A.R.M., Amanda Diva, Big Boi, Rhymefest and others, including the full version of Joe Budden's "Who". Check it!

Just like last year, Dr. Marvin Candle (or shall I say Pierre Chang) is back in another LOST teaser video; last year's vid was pretty wild, and ended up tying into the season very well, so I imagine this one will do the same:

The single for "Knowle West Boy" drops in North America on August 5th, and will feature the aforementioned South Rakkas & Drums of Death mixes alongside a mix from Toddla T. Shouts to KCG for the links, and the info!

Although I found this segment of “Black in America” to be highly informative for the general public, I was disappointed that the interviews in the section on what it is like to be biracial in America seemed to focus only on the more negative aspects. With the eyes of the world now on Barack Obama, I had hoped for a more balanced discussion on what a positive symbol a mixed race person can project.

Obama’s candidacy embodies change and hope for so many in this country of all generations, genders, races and cultures. His message of bringing us all together as Americans is enhanced by his mixed heritage. The biracial person personifies the breaking down of racial barriers that so many fought and died for in the civil rights movement. It is what Dr. Martin Luther King stood for and what his legacy of equality imparts to us today. So one should feel nothing but pride to be mixed in America.

If parents of biracial children are too concerned about what race their children identify and associate with, the only outcome will be confusion. They should rear their children to have enough self-esteem and self-confidence to be their own persons — encouraging them to be strong children who can grow up to be strong biracial adults.

There should be no need for them to say “I am black” or “I am white” because they are neither, yet they are both. Trying to force a choice is often done just to accommodate the people around them. Why should it be so difficult to understand that a person can be and take pride in two races, ethnically and culturally? Those who cannot accept this are perpetuating the kind of ignorance that would only resegregate society by taking away a positive symbol of integration, the mixed child, and restricting him or her to an either-or status.

In a world where a biracial man may well become the next President of the United States, all that a parent should be trying to instill in a child is pride in his or her race or races.

I am proud to be a child born to two loving, talented, creative people – a mother and father who happened to be of African-American and English descent, respectively. I do not feel confused at all nor do I have an identity crisis. I do not feel lost in society nor rejected by any race because I am all races in one.

I am the melting pot, and in our global society, soon all the children of the world will be a mixture of races as well. So why should we try to pick and choose what we want and don’t want our children to be? Why can’t we just accept our common humanity and try to refocus our energies on more pressing matters such as Hurricane Dolly in Texas, infected children in flooded Burmese streets, earthquake victims in China, AIDS patients in Sub-Saharan Africa or those here in Washington, D.C.?

As the world confronts these and other serious challenges to survival, why add more complications by trying to reduce a living symbol of racial harmony to a checked-box identity?

Really well thought out, I think. Definitely something to think about, with Obama on the cusp of becoming our fearless leader.

Rest in power goes out to Randy Pausch, the professor who's battle with pancreatic cancer was the inspiration for his "Last Lecture", which ended up taking the 'Net, and the world, by storm with its powerful message, even ending with him putting out a book. Truly a testament to positive thinking in today's negative world, dude had the right attitude.

You guys hear Gov. Schwarzenegger's plan to cut the salaries of California state workers to minumum wage?! How insane is that! Dude is taking that Terminator shit seriously, eh? I mean, don't shit on the cats who work for the state because you and your suit-and-tie butt buddies couldn't get a proper budget on the table by July 1st.

Reminds me of a story I was reading today about my home state's plan to save $180,000 by, get this, eliminating the use of paper calendars within the state offices. Granted, yes, they say "oh, there are so many online calendars one can use", but there has to be a host of cuts that could save a boatload of funds that the state ends up blowing yearly. We're in a serious pickle, debt-wise, and we end up doing nickel & dime savings? What's $180G's savings when we are in a much deeper hole? That's like throwing a Lifesavers candy to a drowning man.

And the people are always to blame. We need to flip the systems within our country, do some massive belt-tightening, and reorganize. Not cut the funds of people who are working for you, or cutting out things that people need.

Theo will be on Crack Distributors Radio on 7/30/08, and performing with U-N-I for the RE-UP Gang Album Release Event @ The Highline Ballroom on August 12th. The Birth is set to drop on 08/08/08 as well. To keep up with all things Theo, make sure you peep his MySpace.

Fat Beats will be putting out Bumpy Knuckles' 14-year overdue Crazy Like A Foxxx 2CD-opus on July 29th. This thing has been sitting on the MCA shelves since '93, literally. Most of this is previously unheard, and not necessarily for the public's consumption, but fans of Freddie Foxxx are going to be flippin' over a lot of the tracks on this album.

When I read Chris Rock's interview with Rolling Stone earlier this year (I believe), I had a feeling he was going to be doing a new special before the election; now I get word that Kill The Messenger, his forthcoming 90 minute stand-up special, will be premiering on HBO on September 27th. I cannot wait. Expect a shitload of election drama, with some Jesse Jackson and Don Imus thrown in to boot, I'd imagine.

S.O.U.L. Purpose "Stop Playin'": Some new shit from Mazzi. You gotta love that, now that Perp and I started up MMA, I've been re-watching last year's World Rap Championships, and I didn't realize that Mazzi was the host. Craziness.

Elucid "Mannequin (Dead Fresh)": Homey took it to the left this week. And damn is it fly, even though its a pointed take on cats who spend their ends to look like those adult-sized dolls you see in store windows. I actually end up laughing at cats who rock exclusive ugly-wear, while I go to Walmart and grab up some cargo shorts and keep it moving.

You gotta know where you came from to know where the fuck you're going. This release (Foreign Currency), which has been upped for you for free, can be seen as the beginning of the BPA clique. Cynergy Soundz & J. Slikk split production on this, and it features hot bars from the likes of Cy Yung (his first collabo with Slikk, "Heaven 2 Me", is on here), Asylum 7, The Life and a host of others, as well as interludes, instrumentals and a whole host of Soulful Hip-Hop. Period. Mind you, this is three years old, so if you keep it locked to the new BPA material, you can definitely chart the growth, ya dig?

Foreign Currency 2 will be out, hopefully by this time next year. I'll keep you posted.

Rashid Hadee "Get Mine" (prod. by J. Slikk): Yesterday I brought you an R&B number from Oscah that Slikk produced, now here's a slick collabo from Chi-town MC Rashid Hadee and J. Slikk, from Slikk's forthcoming compilation Flavor Spectrum, which will be out for free.99 this Fall (sampler should be dropping in two weeks or so, followed by a host of other things). Nice classic vibe here in the beat, and Rashid wastes no time speaking on that paper chase focus he has. Ill meeting of the minds, don't try to snooze.